I'd like to see the hydrogen ICE option developed more. It doesn't solve the engergy crisis issue, but then nor do any of the other options. Combustion results in water vapour, no heavy electric motors or batteries, and an octane rating of over 130... that could be fun.

Naturally, there are issues to overcome, like hydrogen embrittlement. The combustion risk is not such an issue as it might seem, since, being so much lighter than air, in the event of an accident, much/most of it actually rises up before it can ignite. It's got to have at least as much potential as electric and hydrogen fuel cell.  Visiting from DISCO3.CO.UK
Discovery 3 TDV6 Auto HSE Zambezi Silver


Last edited by Lost for Words on 28th Sep 2015 8:26am. Edited 1 time in total

That is a cool looking Jeep, pity the quality of them is even worse than JLR products  MY 2010 5.0 SC Galway green and sand interior!!
Have the Faultmate MSV2 Extreme to be tinkering with the settings etc. !!

I dunno, so far in standard form id rate my cheap as less troublesome than a similar age 4z4 v8 322  FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

I think the big problem is they are worried about water ingress when wading.
Also it shocks me a little that such low powered electric motors are being fitted and without gearboxes as well in some instances.

A more powerful motor and gearbox would mean it could do more of the getting moving part of driving and then more of the cruising at a steady speed which doesn't take as much power as most engines put out so is best down by a lower power lower energy consuming method.

Super capacitors need to be used a little more to recoup more braking energy and then slowly bleed it into the battery packs.

Ideally what i'd like to see is the FF/SS/Disco(proper one!) get electric motors in each wheel capable of at least 150lb/ft and then a 3cylinder 1.0litre HDi unit with genny on it to keep the batteries juiced up as well. FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

I see no problem with making electric motors watertight. In the offshore industry we have been using them for decades in deepwater applications in shapes and forms with pretty high voltage most of the time. Same a tidal generators for example. The motors need to be watertight even for normal cars as they need to be designed to go through deep puddles, water hitting them at pressure (high speed in rain or through puddles) and pressure washers. So that is already a design requirement . MY 2010 5.0 SC Galway green and sand interior!!
Have the Faultmate MSV2 Extreme to be tinkering with the settings etc. !!

We are talking about JLR here aren't we

It wouldn't surprise if the new Adblue type fluid they will be fitting in new models is actual blue coloured pee from the factory toilets  FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

I think that the main ingredient is pig pee

and Water proof electric motors isn't that what they use on the remote subs? Anyway they could always make it really interesting and fit them in to portal axles

And I wouldn't worry about JLR, they wont make the motors, they'll buy them in like everything else  Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

Electric motors on each wheel makes for a nice simple solution to AWD, but all that unsprung weight is a killer...

It's also not possible to up the torque to one wheel like it is with locking diffs. Visiting from DISCO3.CO.UK
Discovery 3 TDV6 Auto HSE Zambezi Silver

Some have tried doing that but it seems to be a cost issue so far, even tesla seems happy with one motor front and one back.

To be fair with 2 motors you can still use mostly the same traction control system just cutting back electrical power on any axle it needs to be done to which will actually make the system react much faster than just cutting engine power which cuts it to all 4 wheels...

IIRC the first electric range rover had a big motor up front and battery pack to replace the engine and gearbox IIRC... FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Electric_Cars FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

I had Wrangler Ultimate LWB from new.
I would rate the reliability as better than the JLR equivalent, (if there is one Defender does not really compare, perhaps Discos do).Did 50K trouble free, some of that on serious Off road routes.Nothing gets near them for Off Road ability , I took mine over the Atlas mountains (Mount Toubkal, Tizi n'Tichka Pass, etc. and then into the Northern sahara. It just sucked it up and asked for more.

Only 2 Issues
1) old fashioned auto box with OD on 4th and 5th so at 50MPH it could not decide what gear to be in, I used to switch the OD off and inn again to get around it. It was Ok if you ignored the sound of the engine, but I am too old school for that.

2) the detachable roof leaked, I believe they all did at those MYs . That was why mine was called "the leakster"
there are drain plugs in the footwells so you just had to let the water out after driving in the rain or after parked in a heavy rain storm

The later Wrangler models have a better auto box (tiptronic type) and If they have fixed the roof leaks , I would have another

The only thing that Jeep didn't do well was economy or diesel ( same thing sort of ) and has already been touched on water proofing. In fact I'd so far as to say it's the only 4 wheel drive sponge that I know of But what they did do well is off road ability and they also managed to make their product 1/2 ton light than LR So great for Jacques Cousteau and the Gobi Desert not much cop for the real world, unless you've a water fetish, in which case this is the one for you  Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

Mine did 30-40 mpg at motorway speeds, with a 3.0 CRD engine
Ok so the leaked and were a bit noisy , but it is a bit like FFRR ownership , if you want on you will put up with it
I did manage to fix the leaks by re sealing the detachable doors and roof but could not put it in the garage as it was (and still is ) full of bikes

CRD? wot's that? Mine is a 4.0lt Petrol YJ Wrangler with cart springs, and go anywhere it likes steering But it is a giggle, although I will say that it is the most uncomfortable car that I have ever driven, even my series 2A Landy was nicer to drive, but it didn't have the factor! Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

Anyway I've just realised that this topic has slipped into the dark ages and we should get back to talking electricary. The reason that I suggested a motor on each wheel is simple, More Power , most hybrid washing machine crossbreeds weigh nothing to start with cos the only thing that they have to deal with is a 2" deep pot hole or some wet leaves. If you were to put that sort of drive train in to a ffrr, you wouldn't have very favorable performance, in fact they have already tried this and to disguise this they changed the name on the front to confuse the competition, I believe that it was branded Express Dairies

And that is the problem chaps, even when you have thrown away all the drive train you've still got over a ton of body, and then you've got to add batteries, motors, 97 ECU's, etc. It's never going to move  Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!